Heart failure due to atrial fibrillation

Here’s the sequence of events that lead to heart failure and symptoms in a patient with atrial fibrillation. Symptoms occur specially when oxygen demands increase and heart needs to go faster, as more blood is needed. The extra kick of blood given by the atria is gone, so end diastolic volume decreases. This causes ejection fraction to decrease, also decreasing tissue perfusion and causing, by definition heart failure.

Sinus rythm. Its allll fine. Click to enlarge and download. Atrial fibrillation and less end diastolic volume. Click to enlarge and download.

Thank you for stopping by the Plague Doctor’s blog. If you like these illustrations and the blog please leave a comment and tell me what you think. You opinion is of most importance. Tell your friends about it and visit us at facebook, twitter, instagram or tumblr. Download the illustrations for free and print it. A3 should be fine for you to put it up your wall and review anytime you like. Thank you!